National Hog Farmer Blog

Meet the 2013 Masters of the Pork Industry and Prepare to be Inspired

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:07:00 +0000

The May issue of National Hog Farmer typically serves as a reflective look at the U.S. pork industry. We strive to approach stories from a “big picture” perspective. Since 2006, National Hog Farmer has profiled a hand-picked group of pork industry leaders. These Masters of the Pork Industry share their personal stories and philosophies, reflect on their careers and share their thoughts about the future of the pork industry.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Temple Grandin Guides Video Tour Behind “Glass Walls” of Pork Processing Plant

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:42:00 +0000

This week the American Meat Institute (AMI) released a video tour of a pork slaughter plant hosted by leading animal welfare expert Temple Grandin, professor of animal science at Colorado State University.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Do Producers Truly have Choices When it Comes to Animal Care?

Fri, 03 May 2013 21:08:00 +0000

This week the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) reported that many of the largest supermarket companies across the border have decided to stop procuring pork produced in systems that use gestation stalls. The new procurement specifications will be phased in over the next nine years by retailers including Costco Canada, Wal-Mart Canada, Loblaw, Metro, Sobeys, Co-op Atlantic and Federated Co-operatives. The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) responded by saying producers will continue to focus on their first priority, which is the welfare of their animals, while working on a new set of animal care standards.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Pondering the Pork Chop Identity Crisis

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:55:00 +0000

A pork chop by any other name tastes just as juicy and delicious--and now has a new identity in the meat case. In an effort to make both pork and beef more consumer-friendly, new names such as porterhouse pork chops will help retailers differentiate and merchandise pork cuts more effectively, according to the National Pork Board.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Ag Gag Laws Really Do Protect Animals, Producers

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:51:00 +0000

Organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Mercy for Animals say they have stopped attempting to take undercover videos on farms in states that have laws that make this practice illegal. These laws, referred to as “ag gag” laws, have already gone into effect in states such as Iowa and Utah. Several other states are in the process of working to enact similar legislation. Meanwhile, the topic of ag gag laws is getting a lot of media attention, and the opinions about the merits…or lack thereof…of preventing undercover videos from being taken on farms differ widely. As I’ve read blog posts finding fault with these laws coming from within the agricultural community, I keep coming back to what I heard and saw when I attended a Mercy for Animals (MFA) press conference last summer where an on-farm video was “revealed.”

National Hog Farmer Blog

EPA’s “Release-and-Retrieve” Approach to Producer Data Violates Trust

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

As the week draws to a close, more details are emerging about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of personal data on thousands of farmers and ranchers. It has been a disturbing story all along, but this week’s admission that the personal information was indeed released to environmental activists and then, absurdly, that EPA has now asked activists to return the information they were given makes the entire tale even more unbelievable.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Healthy Dose of Fear Drives Consumer Views in Antibiotic Debate

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 00:29:00 +0000

This week I have been sicker than a dog with a strep infection and some type of bronchitis-type junk. I’m taking antibiotics. I’m drinking orange juice. Obviously, I’m thankful for the availability of antibiotics, and (in between coughing fits), I’m following the ongoing debate about antibiotic use in livestock production, which is a hot topic in the news yet again.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Hamming it Up for Easter!

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:56:00 +0000

We all know that there is a pork recipe for every season, but meals for Easter in particular should be made with ham! Recently Chef Michael Formichella, president and co-owner of Chella Foods, noted that the combination of versatility, variety and value have helped make pork the “it” protein. The vast array of tasty recipes available for all occasions complement the product pork producers proudly offer to their customers.

National Hog Farmer Blog

How Do You “Celebrate” Agriculture?

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:18:00 +0000

The week of March 17-23 has been declared National Agriculture Week. As part of the festivities, you may have celebrated National Agriculture Day on March 19. The events surrounding National Agriculture week are part of a nationwide effort focused on telling the true story about American agriculture, while reminding citizens that agriculture is important to everyone. One of our readers asked how we think that Ag Day and Ag Week should be celebrated. The first answer that comes to mind involves suggesting that everyone seek hearty helpings of bacon and a satisfying pork chop. However, taking things a bit further, we would also like to thank our pork producer readers for doing their part to produce a safe, affordable (and extremely tasty) product.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Politics and Pork Production

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Lately it seems as though nearly every significant news story impacting agriculture has originated in close proximity to Washington, D.C. Though the sequestration fallout for the pork industry seems quiet now, hang onto your hat this summer. According to our Legislative Preview reporter Scott Shearer, this week Under Secretary of Food Safety Elisabeth Hagen told the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee that the proposed sequestration plan will, indeed, include U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) meat and poultry inspectors. The plan at this point includes 11 furlough days, no more than one day a week and no more than two days per pay period, scheduled from July to September for all 8,136 meat inspectors and a number of related staff.

National Hog Farmer Blog

You Can Never Have Enough Friends! Build Your Social Media Community

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:14:00 +0000

Everyone wants to be part of a community and have like-minded people with whom they can share the good and the bad that is part of everyday life. Many pork producers are representing both their states and their collective career choice while banding together at the National Pork Industry Forum in Florida this week, working together to make important decisions about research, education and promotional efforts that will impact the entire pork industry. Face-to-face meetings like Pork Forum, state producer meetings and World Pork Expo are great opportunities to band together to “talk pigs.” Nobody understands what it’s like to be a pork producer quite like another pork producer. At the same time, nobody can share the real story about what it’s like to be a pork producer nearly as well as—you guessed it, an actual pork producer. Don’t you wish you could continue those pork-friendly conversations long after the meetings are over? If you aren’t already doing so, maybe now is the time to consider reaching out to share your story through social media.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Who’s Feeding Our Elected Officials, Anyway?

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 20:03:00 +0000

March 1 has arrived, meaning that, apparently, as of today, the United States is “all in” on the budgetary sequester that has been in the news for weeks. As you probably know by now, sequestration is an across-the-board reduction in spending mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011. Dire predictions have been made by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about furloughing meat inspectors as part of the budget reduction process, thus jeopardizing pork marketing channels in coming days.

National Hog Farmer Blog

EPA Chief Sends Regrets, Yet Releases Sensitive Farm Data Anyway

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:39:00 +0000

Last week, outgoing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chief Lisa Jackson was quoted in the Huffington Post as saying her biggest regret was related to her relationship with rural America. She said, "“If I were starting again, I would from day one make a much stronger effort to do personal outreach in rural America. Had I known that these myths about everything from cow flatulence to spilled milk could be seen as ‘The EPA is coming to get you,' I would have spent more time trying to inoculate against that."" This week, there is shocking evidence that EPA may have put U.S. farmers in danger.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Will Sequestration Bring Pork Processing to a Screeching Halt?

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:20:00 +0000

What a week in Washington. As a vast divide separates the Republicans and Democrats on budget issues, The Hill is predicting a high likelihood that the automatic spending cuts known as the sequester will be implemented. Food Safety News reported this week that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could conduct 2,100 fewer inspections at domestic and foreign food facilities and the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) might have to furlough all employees for approximately two weeks to meet the extensive budget cuts. This would, in effect, bring the U.S. meat industry to a screeching halt.

National Hog Farmer Blog

Logic vs. Fear: Antibiotic Issue Draws Passionate Response

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:18:00 +0000

When it comes to the use of antibiotics in pork production, some things boil down to simple logic. We all know that appropriate antibiotic use can keep both animals and humans healthy. We also know that only antibiotics approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are used to treat hogs, and that veterinarians oversee which antibiotics are used to treat, prevent and control swine diseases. Healthy pigs grow better and eat less feed. And healthy pigs are directly related to a safer food supply. Of course, veterinarians work closely with farmers to make decisions on which pigs may need antibiotics to treat or prevent disease. Remember, those antibiotics do come at a cost, which means pork producers focus on preventing the need and expense of using antibiotics unnecessarily in their herds. In spite of this simple logic, we still have wild statements about the amount and intent of antibiotic use in pork production flying around in the news. Sadly, it’s all in the wording. Recent news stories and statements seem particularly designed to incite fear among consumers.